Dolla$ignDunn has a great voice on the microphone. The slight rasp in his vocals sounds like each word is delivered from the pit of his stomach. Personally, I would not consider this to be an energetic track but the pulsing strings heard in the instrumental will keep your head nodding. Listen to “Up” right now.

Joe College has yet to fall short creatively. If you have followed his progress over the past few years his content has improved tremendously. “You Think I Didn’t When I Did” produced by Drew and Qdott.Davis is a player’s anthem. Think Jay Z’s “Girls, Girls, Girls” or Mase’s “Lookin’ at Me”. The song is suave and the beat creates a swaggering aura, especially when Shelsie’s vocals are added to the track. If you like this, watch Joe College perform live tonight at The Saint in Asbury Park, NJ.

Today concludes the first month of the new year. Rapper, C-Black releases his first single of 2017 entitled, “Drink It Up”. He hovers his magnifying glass over society and the current rap scene. The lyrical content is conscious, but not too preachy. You can hear the passion in his lyrics, because he is a self-assured lyricist filled with angst about the world around him. After listening to “Drink It Up” some of us might scratch our heads and say, “How Sway?”

I’m late. Joe College is one of the reasons why I have not quit blogging hip-hop. His content is an inspiration and keeps me excited about the future of rap music and our culture. “All I Want” produced by QdottDavis already has over 1,200 streams, which is huge for a rapper still developing a legitimate fan base. Joe will continue to level up in 2017.

CRIMEAPPLE is one of the most gifted lyricist in the Tri-State. Garden State Hip-Hop supporters may remember him from the 2013 Cypher under the name Vasco. We have lost touch, but I have remained supportive of his music. “59 Iguanas” is a dope cut. I look forward to hearing other music CRIMEAPPLE has coming in 2017.

BoMason was featured on NJ.com’s list of best artists to watch in 2017. The Jersey City native is on the right track with his song “Evolve”. Its soulful with a modern, alternative R&B twist. Mason has even gained a fan in EDM producer Deadmau5. The man behind the mask promised to co-produce Mason’s album if he reached one million plays on Sound Cloud. Lets help him achieve this milestone.